Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Since I worked myself a bit sore over the weekend, it was time to get some art in order to get it up on Etsy.*SOLD*(More Cottage Fairies in the works.)

This little Cottage Fairy collage is just listed. People always say the picture doesn't look as good, but it's true with this one. It is nicer in person.

Another new item in the shop is a digital collage of butterflies and antique papers.I have had a love affair with old paper, and drawings for as long as I can remember. The digital collage marries some of my favorite things. I used vintage sheet music and an antique botanical page image, with black and white drawings of butterflies. This type of art started for me over 10 years ago and I love doing it. There are so many ideas going through my mind, I could do this 20 hours a day.These are available printed with archival inks on high quality photo paper, made to last 100 years more years :)

Monday, May 28, 2007

We worked a lot this weekend making a new flower bed out front. We got one side done for now and will need a few days to do the rest on the other side of the walkway. No new pictures of it today, because I didn't think of pictures, just getting a bath was more important.

There are big plans for the backyard. I'm not sure when that will happen, but soon I hope. I keep procrastinating, but that might be a good thing. There are some new ideas that keep coming along that might be nice to use out there.

Sometimes we think we need lots of money to have a special place in the yard for those garden fun chores. We took a simple wood structure and added some embellishments. It does not look like that now. Everything is torn up out there waiting for me to get a move on and finish the plans. It was a little sad seeing this picture from when my sweet husband worked so hard to make this into a potting area for me. I think we need something different now and it needs to be rebuilt so it will have fresh wood to last for the next 30 or so years.

But it will remind me that a little imagination and lot of sweat can go a long way.

I'm happy you enjoyed the pictures from Mt. Dora. I've got some more from a booth that is all cottage and shabby that I'll post later. I think you'll find them fun, too.

Friday, May 25, 2007

So many things have changed in this market over the years, but somethings stay the same. Here is view of the outside buildings. There are plain metal sheds which are hot in the summer time, and then others have fixed them up so cute, while still others are set up as upscale stores with air conditioning.

One of those does a booming business of more expensive items. I think they stay on the outside because it is less rent and they have such a large area for their store. I saw a few things like those I bought at the Extravaganza marked up quite a bit in here.

And here is the Junk Man's area! I'm so happy that I took the time for a little look when I found that beautiful old cross. What a junk pile! This is about a fourth of it all.

This day was pretty empty so I could get a few good shots inside. Some of the people have been in the same spot for many years, but there is good turn over of those trying to make it and don't. The last few times we were there it was this empty, so I'm not sure if it is still bringing in the people like it used to. The Extravaganza times certainly are though.

Another good thing about the blog is that I take a camera with me to places like this! It fun having the pictures and I don't think I would ever have thought of taking it with me before.

Monday, May 21, 2007

It was wonderful weekend here. Not quite as hot, so we spent time on Sunday getting my old pots, and some new ones :), filled up with flowers. I'll snap some pictures during the week to show you. I ran out of flowers and need just a few more. It was all the more special because my Sweet Husband loves helping with this little task. It sure made it go more quickly and less strain on me. We found good looking resin urns/pots at a great price. They are planted, but need a little bit of paint since they are too gray right now.

Here is another picture of that kitchen island that I painted a faux checkerboard wood butcher block top for. It is arranged differently all the time, so it has the brown transferware on it now, with different things.We built a wall of storage here, but I think I still need more than the island gives me. But I love the way it looks here.

This was all natural wood and the top was not good butcher block to begin with. Solid wood, though. I painted the bottom satin black, did a bit of distressing, and then painted the top to look like the checkerboard. It is sealed with several layers of matte varnish and has really held up well.

Friday, May 18, 2007

**Thank You Everyone for letting me know how you liked it and which name was best to you!

I appreciate you taking the time to post your notes!

After a bit of lunch, I guess I'll have to go visit some dust bunnies. Maybe I should go put on an apron like sweet Kim at Daisy Cottage does and see if that helps. But I'm not getting high hopes.

I've been working away on art, but not getting any quicker. I could work on one thing for days and days and keep changing it. So I'll have to stop doing that silly dance. I do intend to start putting things in Etsy soon. All the first pieces are gone, so I'm working on new goodies.

The last couple of days I've been working on the banner/title for my Etsy shop.

It will appear larger than you see it here. If you click on the banner above, you can see it better on the Etsy site.

How do you like it? It was a lot of work to stay in that strange size and still keep adding the elements I wanted.

The other thing I've gone back and forth which of our business names to use for the Etsy shop, The Decorated House or Courtney Designs. Both our art/illustration business and my interior design have used both. I created The Decorated House about 6 years ago when I had my site on msn before they closed down their groups.

Friday, May 11, 2007

Often I am asked where do I get my design inspiration. Books and magazines are great of course, but people sometimes overlook what is right in front of them. The things they love.

The last trip to Renninger's I bought this vintage green vase for $6. It is the exact green that I love and use in my home. Again, it's one of the those things I liked before I got it home, but now like it even more because it looks like it's been here for a long time.

Beside the little cheapie vase is a handmade plate from a fairly well known (to art show going people) potter/artist who does a lot of art shows. We like green lizards and fell in love with her wonderful art pieces. At $75 this is one of her less expensive pieces and when we looked for something else the next couple of years, she was long sold out of this price range.

The other plate is majolica and antique. This one I also found at Renninger's but didn't buy it there. I searched for a while and found a set of them on Ebay from France and bought them, giving away 2 to my mom and sister and sending out one to someone else who needed one more, and keeping 2, one for me and one of my daughter. I really love this plate!

If I had to design a room using these pieces as my starting point, it would be so easy. I can tell so much about the people who live there from looking at them. And of course the colors are wonderful, too.

The lizard art plate has that Tiffany blue color around the lizard that has really been calling out to me. Very strange, I'm not a blue person at all. But that color makes me want it.

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

I missed Monday home pictures. Somehow it's already Wednesday. So here is a little spot in the kitchen. A large white platter that matches a set of dishes, and a bunny with a lid that's been at home here longer than the platter or the newer kitchen. I've had white dishes forever. A lot of them were way down in the bottom of the cupboard. A couple of years ago I saw a table set by Martha Stewart, all in white and loved it! So mine have been out ever since. But I learned to appreciate my own when my friend Sally started showing pictures of hers.

We really love gravy around here. This is a picture of our "gravy" bowl. It is really a small soup tureen. It's been so long since I bought it, I have no idea what it was sold as. Gravy and biscuits, with a dash of veggies, is a great meal. I have since added a few tureens, but I still love this bunny.

The small BlogWorld seems to keep getting bigger and bigger. Each time I visit someone, I seem to find another new person from that site. By the time I get to a few sites, and even get a post or two done, time has passed so fast and it's time to get off the computer. It makes me appreciate it greatly when you take the time to come by and leave a post here. I know it isn't easy to keep your site going and visit your friends, too!

Monday, May 7, 2007

Since I have lots of runnning around to do today, here is a little hello from some special creatures who share our planet. I know they touch the hearts of so many people. I swam with the dolphins this time last year for the first time with my daughter. This year my sweet husband went with us. It was such a wonderful day. So perfect.

The picture was taken at the underwater observation area at Sea World the next day. The dolphin is inches away & looking directly at my daughter. What beauties they are.

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Thanks for your kind comments on the last collage. I've put a couple on Ebay, and hope to get some smaller, quicker ones done for Ebay & Etsy. It's a learning process since I'm having to figure out everything about selling. Buying I'm good at! :)

Tomorrow we are going to swim with the dolphins at Discovery Cove!!!! I'm excited. Saturday we will take in a day at Sea World. So I'll be away for a couple of days. Hope your weekend is a good one!

The other day I was shuffling around the books on the table looking for one, and I noticed an outdoor garden one, and who did I find has been in my house for years? Charlotte Lyons! I had no idea how accomplished she was when I've been visiting her blog. It was only last week that I finally noticed her sidebar and saw the books she has written. Sorry, Charlotte, I need to slow down. And it is such a nice book, too. I get it out around this time each year and enjoy it all over again.

So I went over to see Charlotte and read a bit more, but what post popped up? One about my dear friend Kim of Daisy Cottage fame. I was getting ready to write a post about sweet Kim. But Charlotte, who is a writer, did a much better job of course. Everything Charlotte had to say is what I feel and have told Kim a few times. That girl can find the best things for a few bucks and make them look so charming.

It's pretty impossible if you come by here that you didn't already know about these two ladies. But I wanted to just let both of them know how special they are to me, as well as to most of you.

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

I enjoyed seeing your comments on the lovely cross. We liked it a lot when we first got it, but really feel more in love with as it settled into our home. It seems like it has been ours for years.

"Just Because"

I'm working on some art for Mother's Day. This one is a new favorite of mine. Vintage lace and a pretty old rhinestone pin on a vintage blue button, flowers painted by hubby and the cutest little baby! I spent way too much time on it, but I enjoyed it. This one is 5 x 7 inch wrapped gallery canvas like the last one.